Most Dangerous Health Care Jobs in Maryland
Jobs in the health care industry in Maryland and throughout the country are among the most dangerous in America. While certain industries like construction and warehousing are well known for the injury risks they pose to workers, it is important to know that health care jobs — especially those in hospital and nursing home settings — tend to have high rates of injuries among employees. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, health care workers in the United States experienced injuries at a rate that rose by 249 percent from the data in 2019, according to the US Department of Labor (DOL). At that time, health care workers had the highest rate of workplace injuries in the country. While that number has declined slightly, it still remains high.
What are some of the most dangerous jobs in health care, and why are they so hazardous? Consider some of the following information from our Maryland health care worker injury attorneys.
Jobs in Hospitals Are Especially Dangerous
Health care providers see patients in a variety of settings, including at doctor’s offices, schools, outpatient clinics, in nursing homes, and in hospitals. Of all the places where health care providers work, hospitals are the most dangerous. And, in fact, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that injuries among hospital workers are often higher than in any other industry — including construction and manufacturing.
Hospitals are particularly dangerous places to work for many reasons, including the fast-paced nature of the work (and often emergency nature of the work), the long and extended hours, the prevalence of patients with complex medical records and varying conditions, and the increased likelihood of needle stick injuries (or NSIs). The following are some of the most common causes of injuries among hospital health care employees, according to OSHA and the National Library of Medicine:
- Overexertion and bodily reaction injuries;
- Slips and falls;
- Percutaneous needle stick injuries; and
- Exposure to hazardous substances and communicable diseases.
Health Care Worker Injuries in Nursing Homes
In addition to hospitals, health care workers in nursing homes are subject to many of the same injury risks as nurses and other health care providers in hospitals, in addition to injury risks associated with violence involving patients with dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment.
While health care workers may suffer more injuries in hospitals and related settings, it is nonetheless important to remember that health care workers of all types — from surgeons and physicians to nurses to assistants — can sustain serious work-related injuries regardless of whether they are working in a hospital or a doctor’s office.
Contact Our Maryland Health Care Worker Injury Lawyers
If you were injured while working in the health care industry, it is critical to seek legal advice about your options for compensation. Most importantly, you may be eligible for a range of workers’ compensation benefits, but you will need to seek compensation in an appropriate and timely manner. An experienced Maryland health care worker injury attorney at the Law Offices of Steinhardt, Siskind and Lieberman, LLC is here to assist you with your workers’ compensation claim and to answer any questions you have about the process. Contact us today for help.
Sources:
dol.gov/newsroom/releases/osha/osha20220208
osha.gov/sites/default/files/4.1_Overview_508.pdf
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8101271/
